Abdominal supporters



Feb. 25, 1958 s. A. STRICKSTEIN 2,82

ABDOMINAL SUPPORTERS Filed Nov. 8, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 QSQMUEL H.5TQ/C/(5TE/N,

I N V EN TOR.

TTORNEK Y Feb. 25, 1958 s. A. STRICKSTEIN 2,324,565

' ABDOMINAL SUPPORTERS Filed Nov. 8, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l 3 J'HMUELH. STE/CKSTE/ INVENTOR.

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United States Patent ABDOMINAL SUPPORTERS Samuel A. Strickstein, BeverlyHills, Calif.

Application November 8, 1955, Serial No. 545,619

1 Claim. (Cl. 128-540) The present invention relates to an abdominalsupporter or brace which is constructed and arranged to lift and carrya' sagging abdomen.

An object of the invention is to provide an abdominal supporter which iscomfortable to wear, form-fitting, easily adjusted to give maximumabdominal support, and readily adaptable for use by both men and women.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an abdominalsupporter which is smooth-surfaced and not visible under the clothing.

A further object is the provision of an abdominal supporter which isinexpensive in cost of manufacture, eflicient in use, and generallysuperior to abdominal supporters now known to the inventor.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a front elevation of one form of abdominal supporter shownon a wearer,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the abdominal supporter shown in Figure1 and positioned upon a wearer,

Figure 3 is an elevation of a modified form of abdominal supporter,

Figure 4 is a slightly modified form of abdominal supporter shown wornunder a pair of shorts.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view looking in the direction of thearrows 5-5 of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a modified form of abdominal supporter,

Figure 7 is a plan view of the abdominal supporter showing darts whichare cut into the material during the manufacture of said supporter, and,

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the abdominal supporter after thedarts of Figure 7 have been sewed together and fabric strips placed overthe sewed areas.

Referring now with particularity to the drawings and specifically toFigures 7 and 8, I provide a substantially rectangular member 1, formedfrom elastic stretch material woven of cotton threads interwoven withelastic stretch rubber. Preferably, I utilize elastic stretch materialwhich has an 80 to 90% stretch and which is sturdy. I have found inactual practice that 6" width elastic stretch material, which weighssubstantially 19.28 pounds per hundred yards, is satisfactory. While thematerial may stretch lengthwise, transversely, or both wayssimultaneously, I preferably utilize material that stretches lengthwiseonly.

The top and bottom edges 2 and 3, respectively, of the member 1 aresubstantially parallel when the elastic is not stretched, and the lengthof the blank will depend upon the girth of the individual wearing theabdominal supporter. To enhance the appearance of the supporter, theends 4 and 5 may be rounded at the corners. Substantially intermediatethe length of the blank and inward from the bottom edge 3 is atriangular cut-out 6. Substantially intermediate the transverse centerof said blank and the edges 4 and 5 are two more triangular cut-outswhich extend inwardly from the top edge 2, as shown at 7 and 8. Thesecut-outs are seamed together to provide darts, and provides a form fitsupporter,

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as shown in perspective in Figure 8. In other words, the blank isconcave-convex and readily fits over the abdomen. I cover the darts withfabric strips, such as shown at 9. If desired, I may bind the edges 4and 5, as shown in Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, at 10 and 11. To completethe abdominal supporter of the form shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, Isecure to the member 1, at the sides 4 and 5 thereof, elongated tabs 12and 13, each provided with spaced hooks 14. A body strap 15 has its endsprovided with spaced rows of eyelets 16 for receiving the hooks 14 topermit adjustment of the sup porter on the body. The strap 15 may beformed of elastic material and provided intermediate its length with anon-stretch portion 17. It will be observed that the tabs 12 and 13extend diagonally downwardly adjacent the edges 4 and 5 and that thereis provided along said edges and above saidtabs, hooks 18. The hooks 18may engage certain of the eyelets in the body strap 15,,

as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

That form of the invention shown in Figure 3 differs from the form shownin Figures 1 and 2 in that one face of the supporter is provided withdiagonal elastic bands 19 and 20, and which elastic bands are sewed orotherwise secured to the supporter. These elastic bands extend from onetop edge to the bottom edge of the member 1 and cross substantially atthe center of the member.

In Figures 4 and 5, I have provided an elastic belt 21 for the shorts22, which elastic belt 21 is provided with downwardly extending tabs at23 and 24, which tabs are provided with eyelets 25. The hooks 14 arereceived in the eyelets for the purpose of adjustably securing thesupporter to the body.

In Figure 6, I have provided a supporter of the form shown in Figures 1and 2, which is adapted to be secured to member 26. This form of theinvention is particularly adaptable for use by women, in that the member26 has an extended area and takes the place of the belt 15. Member 26 isformed of elastic material and ex- I tends over the buttocks and aroundthe waist of the wearer, being provided with a non-stretch area 27 andwith a pair of tabs, one of which is shown at 28. The tabs are providedwith eyelets for receiving the hooks 14 and 18 of the abdominalsupporter.

The operation, uses and advantages of the invention are as follows:

Each abdominal supporter is provided with tabs, such as 12 and 13,extending at an angle from the sides of the lower half of the member 1,with the result that when said tabs are engaged with the belt or strap15 and the strap encircles the body at the small of the back of thewearer, as shown in Figure 2, the supporter is pulled upwardly so as tolift the abdomen. In Figure 2, a sagging abdominal wall is indicated bydotted lines. As shown in Figure 2, this sagging abdominal wall is notonly lifted upwardly but pulled inwardly to give proper support. Thehooks 18 pull the top of the supporter inwardly when said hooks arereceived in one of the eyelets 16. As previously set forth, it ispreferable to form the supporter from an elastic material whichstretches lengthwise or horizontally and not vertically, for the reasonthat the horizontal stretch gives comfort to the wearer and assures thatthe abdomen is both carried and lifted. If there was a lateral stretchto the supporter, a heavy person might cause the supporter to give intwo directions, and thereby not properly support the abdomen. The dartsfunction to make the supporter form-fitting and the crossed elasticbands 19 and 20, where used, aid in restricting horizontal stretch ofthe supporter. The non-stretch portion 17 of the belt or strap 15assures stretch in the supporter per se.

That form of the invention depicted in Figures 4 and 5 contemplates theuse-of shorts in which there is an elastic encircling band at the waistportion. The elastic band may be directly sewed to the shorts, or beseparate therefrom. The elastic band incorporates a non-stretch portionadjacent-the small of the back. The tabs 23 bearing eyelets are securedto the elastic band and may be detached from the supporter proper whenit is desirable to wash the shorts.

That form of the invention shown in Figure 6, as previously stated, isdesirable for women, as it lends support Ordinarily, a devicehorizontally than vertically, a pair of non-elastic tabs secured to saidrectangular shaped member adjacent'the bottom edge thereof and extendingupwardly and out wardly from the side edges thereof, hooks secured tothe outer ends of said tabs and hooks secured to the side edges of saidrectangular member and spaced above the said tabs, a body encirclingstrap of elastic material provided at its ends with,.rows of eyelets fordetachable engagement with the hooks on said tabs and with the hookspositioned above said tabs on said rectangular member, the said straphaving a non-stretch area positioned normally at the small of the backof the wearer of said strap;

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS947,412 Kendrick Jan. 25, 1910 1,565,429 Dodge Dec. 15, 1925 1,577,666Walter Mar. 23, 1926 2,655,658 Connors Oct. 20. 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS3,874 Great Britain 1890

